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ORATION AND POEM 



DELIVERED 



twa^ ^* liat'^ 



BEING THE 



FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Mmtvit^n MXitpmXitntt. 



S7 TTILLIAM HMMOHS. 



UrXTH A rVX.!. X^XraTH FIGURE OF TBX: AUTHOR. 



PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 

1826. 



/ 

AN 



ORATION AND POEM 



DELIVERED 31—— 

~^ 7 :^ H 



tT 41^ liat* 



BEING THE 



FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



OP 



^mtxitun Jfntrtiientrente, 



B7 "TTILLIAM i^MMOUS. 



rUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 



1836. 



Ezsis 



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\ 



ORATION. 



Assembled as we are on this glorious morn, while 
we are greeted from the surrounding hills, by the 
thundering roar of cannon, which comes sounding 
joyfully to our ears, reminding us we are convened 
to pay suitable homage to our Nation's Jubilee. 
And while we are reminded that fifty years have 
passed away, we are also called to a fresh recollec- 
tion of the toils and sufferings of those, our vener- 
ated fathers, and are renewedly reminded of the 
price they paid, that we their posterity may this day 
boast of our Liberty and Independence. 

The revolution of the seasons, together with a 
return of national festivals, at all times are interest- 
ing subjects. Here I would pause to inquire, how 
long shall we be thought entitled to praise for mak- 
ing honourable mention of those godlike men, who 
.sacrificed in most cases their all ; independent of 
spending their youthful days in camp. I repeat, 
how long shall we be entitled to praise, for making 
honourable mention of those who fought the battles 
of their bleeding country. May it not be laid to our 
charge, as a nation, that our highly wrought enco- 
miums partake a little of the sounding brass and 
tinkling symbols. Especially, as we are permit- 
ing them, one after the other, to descend to the 
grave, until nearly all have closed their eyes upon 
an ungrateful country — and that country purchased 
by their blood. If I cannot be justified in using the 



4 

term ungrateful, I know I shall be justified by say- 
ing a long neglectful country ! For to what other 
cause can 1 attribute this long neglect ; when I re- 
flect on the prosperity of the nation. Trusting our 
National Government will not undertake any new 
missions or enterprises, such as exploring the new 
world, as described by Capt. Symmes, until they 
provide for the few remahiing heroes of the Revo- 
lution, as we are proud to call them, that it may no 
longer be said the Revolutionary Soldier is impris- 
oned for his poverty, as has often been the case 
within a few years past. I will not press this sub- 
ject further, as the consideration of it is too painful 
to dwell upon. For should I attempt to give any 
thing like a view of the subject, I should fill a bulky 
volume, and cause this day to be a day of mourning, 
instead of a day of mirth and rejoicing. 

If I should cast my eyes around upon society, 
and mark out such as laid the broad foundations of 
fortunes ! Yes, immense fortunes ! by first crying 
down the soldiers' money, and then by their agents, 
buying it up at two and six-pence on the pound, 
thus preying upon the sufferings of the war worn sol- 
dier of the Revolution. Should I attempt this, 1 
should point you to many who have received un- 
merited applause. Leaving this subject in the hands 
of the government, permit me to turn your atten- 
tion to an event which took place after the reduc- 
tion of Canada, as in all probability it was the prime 
cause of our becoming a free sovereign and inde- 
pendent people. It is well known to the historian 
after the reduction of Canada, the British officers 



who commanded on that expedition, came to New 
York and Boston, to visit their brethren as they then 
called them. On their arrival they flew to meet and 
welcome them, and they were paraded through the 
streets, as the saviours of the land ; all doors were 
open to receive them, every day during their stay 
in Boston was spent in feasting their beloved guests. 
No pains were spared to make those entertainments 
as splendid as possible ; by aid of kind neighbours, 
their rooms glittered with borrowed plate ; wine of 
every vintage sparkled in their cups, while the long 
extended tables, crowded with every luxury of sea 
and land, was succeeded by the richest deserts. This 
feasting of the British officers, was the leading 
cause of our becoming an independent nation, as 
I will attempt to show. For when those officers re- 
turned to England, they could not forget the good 
fare they received at Boston, and many of them 
were inchned to pay the Bostonians a second visit, 
not merely to eat their good dinners, for no sooner 
had those stall fed officers returned home, than they 
began to sound abroad the numberless magnificent 
entertainments in New-York and Boston, more par- 
ticularly of Boston. Here I would remark they 
lost nothing of their splendour by crossing the 
water, for as they represented, brass became silver, 
and silver became gold. Here I might advise many 
of the present day to be careful not to make too 
much display upon every stranger who enters their 
city or towns, or that may call to dine with them, 
especially when their houses are adorned with or- 
naments borrowed or unpaid for. at least \ would 



remind them it was American hospitality that nearly 
destroTed their Hberty. For from those days of feast- 
ing the British ministry began to throw across the 
waters the eye of envy, and to devise means in or- 
der to come in for a share of those represented 
riches. They even went so far as to propose to 
the house of Commons to adopt measures that they 
may more tnlly and effectnaBy bear a part of our 
fathers" burdens, did they mean to acknowledge the 
colonists as free British subjects, entitled to all the 
privileges of free men. 

I say did the ministry of England intend, by bear- 
ins a part of our fathers' burdens that they should 
be entitled to all the privileges as free British sub- 
jects, that is if yon ever heard of an independent 
subject of Britain. Or did they intend to allow 
the colonies a representative in Parliament, who 
should have a voice in voting money for the com- 
mon cause — O. no I for Lord North claimed the 
ri^t to tEL5 and take property at pleasure. As a 
plea for such unwarranted and des|X)tic measures, 
he with his creatures begun by boldly tnimpeting 
the wonderful kindness conferred on America. And 
asserted they first discovered the country, they set- 
tled it- It was their blood, their ships, their sail- 
ors, their soldiers, and in fact their every thiugthat 
had created the colonies : and after having done so 
much, to be sure we have as good a right to their 
silver and gold, as a butcher has to the hair of his 
Hos:^. when killed. 

This lansnage was actually carried into Parlia- 
ment, when a Mr. Towusend. to enforce the stamp 



act, cried out, " Who are these Americans ? are they 
not our children, planted by our care, nourished by 
our indulgence, protected by our arms?" At this the 
undaunted Col. Barre, flushed with indignation at 
the insolent remarks of Townsend, thus thundered 
forth his powerful artillery : " They planted by your 
care ? No Sir, your oppressions planted them in 
America, they fled from your tyranny to a then un- 
cultivated and inhospitable country, where they ex- 
posed themselves to ah the evils which the blood- 
thirsty savages could threaten, yet actuated by true 
English love of Liberty, they thought ah these evils 
light when compared with what they had sufiered 
in their own country, and from you who^aught to 
liave been their friends. They nourished by your 
indulgence ? No Sir, they grew by your neglect, as 
soon as you began to indulge them, that boasted in- 
dulgence was to send them hungry packs of your 
own creatures, to spy out their liberties, to misrep- 
resent their actions, and to prey upon their sub- 
stance. Yes Sir, you sent them men whose behav- 
iour has often caused the blood of those sons of 
liberty to recoil within them ; men promoted by you 
to the highest seats of Justice in that country, who to 
my knowledge had good cause to dread a Court of 
Justice in their own ! They protected by your arms, 
no Sir, they have nobly taken up arms in your de- 
fence, have exerted a most heroic valour amidst 
their daily labours, for the defence of your frontier 
which was drenched in blood, while its interior parts 
gave up all their savings for our emolument.'' 
These are facts, for our fathers not only planted, 



but det'eiuled themselves in the French and Indian 
wars from ^35, to 'Go ; it cost them nearly thirty- 
thousand of their stoutest young men. And by re- 
turns it appears Massachusetts alone expended about 
fifty-thousand pounds sterling, and were ever ready 
to aid Britain with men and money. But what avail- 
cth all this ? Lord North's bill to tax the colonies, 
without their consent was passed and approved by 
the King. Notwithstanding the weakness of the 
Americans at that day, when they received the news 
that the stamp act had passed, they rose up to a maa 
with a determination to resist even unto blood, such 
as attempted to infringe the liberties of those who 
nobly threw themselves upon the mighty deep, 
to be directed by the star of Liberty, to Plymouth's 
rocky shores, where they with hook and line, support- 
ed themselves amidst December's blast in 1620. 

As I am this day to be followed by many who 
have spent a life in acquiring a perfect knowledge 
of history, and of language ; from the Greek Pro- 
fessor, to the Legislator of 1826. Shall I, an in- 
fant compared to them, undertake to lead you 
through all the winding paths of science, where 
they have trod since they have left their mothers 
cradles ! No I will not attempt even to lead you 
through that struggle of our venerable fathers, aid- 
ed by that noble youth of France, who spurned the 
mitered crowns of ambitious Kings, and left the 
adoring object of his affections behind, crossed the 
foming billows in order to aid the desponding army 
of Washington, whose feet were naked, treading 
the cold snow of heaven ; but the heroic Lafayette 



9 

arrived bringing his substance to feed the hungry, 
and cloth the naked soldier ! Inspiring them by his 
noble example to deeds of valour, at Monmouth. 
Trenton, and Valley Forge, until the glorious fall 
of York Town, informed them their suflerings were 
drawing to a close, and that the day was not far 
distant, when they might sound the glorious word of 
independence throughout the land, which had long 
m darkness laid. Yes, already they beheld the 
Eagle of injured America, preparing to fly over her 
long oppressed country, with the olive branch in his 
beak, holding in his talons the shaggy main of the 
Lion, who acknowledged their dominions to be free 
sovereign and Independent. 



NATIONAL POEM. 



Once more with gladness, the revolving heaven 
Hath to our souls, the day of freedom given, 
The brightest day, that ever shown on earth, 
The day, that Liberty received her birth ; 
The day, that bade Columbia to be free, 
And strike the Anthem of her Jubilee ! 

Ere this illustrious day, the earth was chill'd 
With slaving dogmas, which the affections, kill'd, 
Each holy aspiration of the mind, 

Panting to reach the height that heaven design'd ; 10 
Was, by the wrack, or superstition's breath, 
Kindled to vengence — smother'd into death. 
An opiate darkness, o'er the world was spread, 
And all the finer soul of man was dead. 
He hug'd the chains, not daring to be free, 
Lash'd with the scourge of iron Monarchy : 

Thus slavery chain'd the East — but in the West, 
A germ of freedom rooted in the breast — 
Yes ! here the plant of Liberty sprang forth. 
While crowns receiv'd the homage of the earth. 20 

It grew, it flourished, — blossom'd in the spring, 
Gladening the heart with bounteous harvesting ; 
While Kings and Priests with jealous leer, beheld, 
Intent to scath its beauty from the field. 
And when that Albion strove to pluck it forth. 
And bend our fathers' bosoms to the earth : 
They rose like sparkles kindled to a flame, 
And burnt Columbia from Britapnia's name ! 



11 

Who gave the signal word ? — 

Adams* was first, 
Then Henry's eloquence, like thunder burst 3Q 

And made the Monarcfh tremble — Hancock, then, 
And Jefferson, the first of mortal men ; 
Stood forth with all the energy of soul, 
To prop the weak and animate the whole. 
Franklin, the statesman, patriot and the sage^ 
Rose like the sun to gild a brightning age. 
Madison appear'd with wisdom, calm, 
Munroe, for Liberty, made bare his arm ; 
Warren, with virtue glorified his name, 
Then, sought his native heaven on wings of flame. 40 

Montgomery follow'd in his bright career, 
Pour'd forth his blood and clomb th' eternal sphere ; 
Mercer and Nash, to sacred Freedom given, 
Drain'd their full hearts, and join'd their souls in heaven. 
Knox. Lincoln, Sumpter, Clinton, Marion, Scott, 
Nor shall the veteran Shelby be forgot ; 
He, who involv'd King's Mountain-Height in flames^ 
And bore his conquering banner to the Thames. 
The hoary Putnam and immortal Greene, 
Made bare their sword in many a dubious scene, 
The first at Bunker, prov'd his blood in strife, r<0 

Pure as the balsam from the tree of life ; 
Greene, like an Eagle on her summit, brave, 
With instruments of death dug deep their grave. 
On Gilford's plain, he paraliz'd the throne. 
And made the ranks of royalty to groan. 
But, at the Eutaw, was his soul put forth, 
And struck them backward in their blood to earth. 

But who the numbers of their names, can cast. 
Spirits of heaven, elect, who, when the blast 60 

Of Freedom's clarion, sounded through the sky. 
Rose in their strength to stand for Liberty ^ 
No mortal utterance could the host, recite, 
What tongue of dust can sum the stars of night, 

* Samuel A Jams. 



12 

Or count the dew-drop diamonds, that display 

The mimick rainbows in the blush of day ? 

When these are numbe.r'd, then, the Muse might deign^ 

To sum the band, that broke th' oppressor's chain. 

Lo ! 07ie, in solid grandeur is display'd, 
For none, his equal of the dust, was made. 70 

The richest elements of earth, compos'd 
His mortal fabrick, which sublime, inclos'd 
A spirit, bath'd in heaven's pure fount on high, 
The hallow'd essence of the deity. 
Yea, Earth and Heaven, seem melted into one. 
To form the person of a Washington ! 

Who can describe the sufferings of our sires, 
To give us freedom to our hearts' desires ? 
Naked — -expos'd to Winter's freezing breath. 
No homely morsel to redeem from death. 80 

Their unshod feet, the snow, with blood, distain. 
While their crampt joints scarce bare them o'er the plain. 
Their limbs, chain'd,grip'd, confin'd, in dungeons, damp. 
Dripping cold dews, while scarce their vital lamp. 
Flickers with life ; no tear is seen to flow, 
Though steep'd, their hearts, in bitterness of wo ; 
i^es, in their eye, no passion of despair, 
Is seen to cast a dull reflection, there ; 
But on their brows, a something is display'd, 
Which proves their souls are not with death, dismay'd 1-90 

Their country's Freedom was the righteous cause, 
Which gave them power to smile at tyrant laws ! 
Their eyes were fix'd on this illustrious day. 
To last till nature shall with age decay ; 
When we, their offspring, would with joy, combine, 
And strike their deeds with transport notes, divine. 
When virgins would select from freedom's bowers, 
With tender hand, the dew enamell'd flowers ; 
And deck their snowy brows with garlands, fair, 
And chanting sing, what once their fathers were : \00 



13 

How they, at Bunker's height, the foe, withstood. 
And bath'd the tyrants in a bath of blood. 
How they, at Trenton, led by Washington, 
Through wintry darkness, the proud victr'y won ; 
How they, at Saratoga, sunk the cross, 
And sum'd whole armies to the royal loss. 
How they, at Monmouth, brought the foe to foil, 
How Morgan met and ended Tarlton's spoil ; 
How they, at Guilford, made Cornwallis pause, 
And how at Euiaw, they maintain'd the cause. 110 

How they through fields of blood pursu'd the work, 
And how they conquer'd at immortal York ! 

This is the song, our virgins will recite. 
Till yonder orb is quench'd in final night ! 

And must we pause — here, end the flowing song, 
In venerative silence, lock the tongue .'' 

No — a proud theme, yet calls the muse to dare. 
To launch her wings upon ethereal air ; 
And tune her voice to notes sublimely high, 
To sing of recent deeds of chivalry, liO 

To live whilst valour shall the bosom warm, 
Or earth retain the grandeur of its form. 

This foe, the same, our fathers bent in strife, 
Strove to enslave us— free at bud of life. 
Pour'd out th' insulting vial of their wrath, 
On every star, that deck'd the vessel's path ; 
Urg'd the hell monsters of the savage race. 
To stab our infants, smiling in their face ! 

Too long, these scenes, we suffer'd ; but at length, 
To seek redress, we girded on our strength. 130 

Hull, first in glory on the ocean, fought. 
And soon to Dacres, his submission, taught ; 
Decatur, Bainbridge, in succession, met 
The sea-proud foe and brought him to their feet. 
Jones, Porter, Biddle, Stewart, Warrington, 
Will be remember'd, while life's sand shall run ; 
Lawrence, 



14 

— Alas ! ijis name dissolves the soul away ! 
Yes, he perform'd the wonder* of tlie sea. 
But to behold him in his robes of gore, 
The muse must pause — oppress'd her vital core. 140 



Lawrence ! thy name, eternity receives, 
And tears shall mourn thee, \vhilst thy nation lives ! 

Hark ! from the west, what pealing thunders break f. 
'Tis Perry battling glorious on the Lake ! 
He breaks their line — he wilts the royal powers, 
He'as met the enemy and they are ours. 

Another battle sounding far remote, 
Comes to our ears, like heaven's artillery note ? 
Lo ! 'tis Macdonough in his youthful bloom. 
Crowding the Albions in a watery tomb ; 150 

While Macomb hurls destruction at Prevost, 
And drives him backward with his shatter'd host. 

Nor to the navy, is our theme confin'd, 
A host of names to live upon the mind. 
Crowd in full troops to hear their actions told. 
And see the banners of their fame, unfold : 

Gaines, Miller, Ripley, Jessup, Jackson, Browii. 
Circled with light stand blazon'd in renown ; 
And Lcavensworth, and Strieker, Amstead, Scott, 
Names to grow bright till honour is forgot, ItiO 

And that will happen, wlicn the sun turns pale, 
And all the stars, that heighten heaven, shall fail. 

Pike was too pure for this corruptive earth, 
And angels strove for his celestial birth ; 
But first, the victr'y to his arm, was given. 
And then, they bore him in their joy to heaven ! 

What youthful bosoms, no strange passions, feel— ^ 
To hear the mention of the daring Neale ? 
While Crayney Island on the sea shall rest, 
His name will rouse the spirit of the breast. 170 

'^ ^■inkiiisr tlie Peacock. 



15 

Nor him alone ; Kentucky's youngest born, 
Whose fame, the poet's numbers will adorn. 
Yea — while Sandusky stream shall wed the Lake, 
His proud achievement will the soul awake ; 
To strains, enraptur'd when his head turns gray, 
His bosom press'd with monumental clay — 
Yes, Croghan's name will dwell in future song, 
When death's deep silence seals our every tongue. 

These youths, beside, shall age with hoary hair, 
Be cherish 'd in rememberance, sage Adair. ISO 

And Shelby, might in the days of old, 
In vain, his deeds of valour could be told ; 
E'en with swift utterance, till the sun has set. 
And stars effulgent shine on heaven's high parapet. 

And shall the Muse two other chiefs deny, 
To deck their brows with wreath of poesy ? 
Shall she, their prowess, in her song, forget? 
Pride of Kentucky — stars to never set — 
The Johnson's, foremost in their country's cause, 
The firm supporters of the people's laws ; 190 

Two brother Ajax in the field of flame, 
The one,* the conquerer the Albion name, 
The otherf bleeding struck the desperate blow— ■ 
Which laid the monarch, J of the wild men, low ! 

The muse must pause ; should she her strain prolong, 
Her theme would give no silence to her song ; 
Yon flaming chariot would descend the deep, 
Revolve through night and climb the orient steep j 
And gild the earth with a returning day. 
And yet unfinish'd, her exalted lay. 200 

How would she pour her voice on Queenstown Height, 
Describe at Chippewa, the slaughtering fight ; 
Reveal at York, how Pike maintain'd the charge, 

* Col. James Joknson. f Col. R. M. Joiinsou. t Tecumsctl?, 



16 

And tell how Scott reduced the fort of George. 
How Amstead at Mac Henry dauntless stood, 
Against the burning fury of the flood, 
While Strieker met, and fought them on the shore, 
And beat them of their, hopes of Baltimore. 

Scarce can the Muse her ardent thoughts, control, 
To sing Niagara with rising soul ; 210 

Where Scott and Jessup, Miller, Ripley, Brown, 
Through solid fire, tore royal standards down. 

These would the Muse describe, and other names, 
As how the Johnsons conquer'd at the Thames ; 
And, to conclude the battles of the west, 
How Jackson fought with thunder on his breast ! 

But time forbids : Yet, ere my numbers cease, 
1 feel to touch the bosoms made for peace ; 

War is the element of man — but love, 
Descended pure, on woman, from above. 220 

Your virtues bind our hearts in golden chains, 
But O, the bondage gives delicious pains ! 
This earth would be but darkness, without thee, 
And savage wrath, our boasted Liberty, 
Your love illumin'd charms, our hearts, control, 
And give us something sacred to the soul. 
Not charms, that wither, like the morning flower. 
Expos'd to sun beams in the noontide hour ; 
Or, clouds, fast fading of their beauties given. 
Or the frail tinctures of the bow of heaven, 230 

But charms, that sweetly flourish from the mind, 
These, these endure and nmke the heart refin'd ; 

O, to your children, teach this glorious day, 
That time may never wear it to decay, 
And, at the altar, with a bended knee. 
Make them to swear, they ever will be Free ! 
Then shall Columbia hail this day on high, 
Till a new sun shall gild eternity ! 23.8 



